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3 Takeaways From Pittsburgh Pirates Being Swept In LA

By Marty Leap |
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Pitcher Chris Archer #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates (L) is visited by teammates at the mound after Archer walked Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers (not in photo) in the fourth inning during the MLB game at Dodger Stadium on April 26, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Pirates 6-2. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Pitcher Chris Archer #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates (L) is visited by teammates at the mound after Archer walked Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers (not in photo) in the fourth inning during the MLB game at Dodger Stadium on April 26, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Pirates 6-2. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 26: Starting pitcher Chris Archer #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks down into the clubhouse after the fourth inning during the MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 26, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Pirates 6-2. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 26: Starting pitcher Chris Archer #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks down into the clubhouse after the fourth inning during the MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 26, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Pirates 6-2. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

Fam, things suck right now for the Pittsburgh Pirates

There are few sayings that can be more true in sports than “when it rains, it pours”. Right now, it is doing more than pouring on the Pittsburgh Pirates. It’s more like they’re currently stuck in a category 5 hurricane.

Over the weekend, the Pirates were swept by the Dodgers in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium. With these three losses, the team has now dropped eight games in a row. This losing streak has caused the team fall from 12-6 and owners of the best winning percentage in the National League, to a season worst two games under .500 at 12-14.

While the team showed signs of getting out of their rut over the weekend, they were much more competitive than in their series against the Diamondbacks and the offense had their best showing of the season on Sunday, but in the end the team was still swept. Adding to the misery, injuries continued to pile up for the team while in LA.

What are the key takeaways from the Pirates being swept over the weekend? If you’re a glutton for punishment, then read on to find out! If you’re too disgusted by the current state of the Pirates, then feel free to runaway now. We wouldn’t blame you.

LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 28: Melky Cabrera #53 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds second base after he hit a home run against Rich Hill #44 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning at Dodger Stadium on April 28, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 28: Melky Cabrera #53 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds second base after he hit a home run against Rich Hill #44 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning at Dodger Stadium on April 28, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

Where would this team be without Melky Cabrera?

As a teacher, I have always been taught to start with a positive when talking to my student’s parents. So, let’s apply that to the takeaways from this series. We’ll start with a positive!

Melky Cabrera is proving to be one of the steals of the offseason. The team inked Cabrera to a minor league deal right before the start of spring training. Even though it was a minor league deal, barring an injury Cabrera was going to make the Opening Day roster.

Not only did Cabrera make the Opening Day roster, he has become one of the team’s most important players. Due to Corey Dickerson, Lonnie Chisenhall, and Starling Marte all currently being on the injured list and Gregory Polanco starting the season on the injured list, Cabrera has been an every day player from the get go this season.

After hitting a pair of home runs in his 24th career four hit game on Sunday afternoon, Cabrera is now slashing .333/.357/.506 this season. He owns a .173 ISO, 126 wRC+, and a 10% extra base hit rate. He’s also been better than expected in the outfield with an 11.0 UZR/150, while being worth -1 defensive runs saved. While a -1 DRS is just below the league average of 0, had you told me before the season Cabrera would be playing every day I would have gladly signed up for a -1 DRS.

12-14 is not where the Pittsburgh Pirates wanted to be 26 games into the season. However, without Cabrera, there is no telling where they would be. But it certainly would be a worse spot than 12-14.

PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 06: Manager Clint Hurdle #13 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during batting practice before the game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on April 6, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 06: Manager Clint Hurdle #13 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during batting practice before the game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on April 6, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

It was a rough weekend for Clint Hurdle

For a long time I have been a big supporter of manager Clint Hurdle. He has done some incredible things in Pittsburgh. When he arrived, the Pirates had suffered through 18 consecutive losing seasons. His first two seasons in Pittsburgh ran that number to 20, but he then helped to turn things around.

Since 2013, the Pirates have had four winning seasons while going to the postseason three times. This may not seem like much, but considering they had not had a winning season since 1992, what Hurdle has accomplished here is a big deal.

That said, Hurdle has not started the season strong. It was an especially poor weekend for the Pirate skipper.

On Saturday night, he left Joe Musgrove in to face left-handed slugger Cody Bellinger in a 1-1 game with runners on the corners and two outs in the bottom of the 7th inning. He made this decision despite lefty Francisco Liriano being ready in the bullpen, and Bellinger’s career OPS vs LHP being more than 200 points lower than his career OPS vs RHP.

On Sunday, with the game tied at 5, the Dodgers having runners on second and third with no one out, and three consecutive lefty hitters due up, Hurdle, again, left a warmed up and ready to go Liriano in the bullpen. Once again, it burnt the Bucs as Richard Rodriguez allowed a go ahead single to Max Muncy with one out. Hurdle then made the mistake of not intentionally walking Bellinger despite a base being open. Bellinger then proceeded to single in what would prove to be the winning run in a 7-6 Dodger victory.

Worst of all, Felipe Vazquez sat in the bullpen unused in both losses. Despite the team being in need of getting lefty hitters out, and needing a strikeout to boot on Sunday, Hurdle never once had arguably the best lefty reliever in all of baseball even start to warm up. He managed for the save instead of the win, and took two losses as a result.

Injuries have been a major factor early on this season. That said, this team has lost at least six games already this season due to poor in game managerial decisions and/or poor defense. Both of these issues fall at the feet of Hurdle and his staff.

When Hurdle arrived to manage the Pirates he said he wanted to reconnect the city of Pittsburgh with their baseball team. He has most certainly done this. The passion and size of the Pirate fan base are both greater than they were when Hurdle arrived seven years ago.

All of that said, he has also helped to raise expectations on the North Shore. As a result, fans are growing restless with the Pirate postseason berth that currently sits at three consecutive seasons. Due to this, Hurdle is being viewed under a microscope and fans want and expect more from he and his team.

Moving forward, Hurdle must be better.

LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 27: Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is safe at second with a stolen base as the ball get past Cole Tucker #3 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the eighth inning of the game at Dodger Stadium on April 27, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 27: Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is safe at second with a stolen base as the ball get past Cole Tucker #3 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the eighth inning of the game at Dodger Stadium on April 27, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

The Pirates have a National League West problem

The Pittsburgh Pirates currently own a 12-14 record. This includes being 2-8 against the National League West division. Some quick math tells me that makes them 10-6 against everyone else.

Last weekend, the Bucs started strong against the NL West. They won the first two games of their series against the San Francisco Giants, but, since then, the team has lost eight games in a row. All eight of these losses have come against the NL West.

The Pirates being 2-8 against the NL West has more to do with the team playing poor defense and going 11-for-56 with runners in scoring position the last eight games than anything else, it is still strange to see the team own such a poor record against a single division. Arizona and Los Angeles both owning potent, high powered offensive attacks is a factor as well. Especially with the Pirates lack of thump.

Next. How Are The Team's Top 30 Prospects Performing?. dark

Thankfully, after a day off on Monday the Pirates travel to Globe Life Park in Arlington to play the Texas Rangers. The Rangers are NOT in the NL West. After that, the Pirates come home to play the Oakland Athletics, also not in the NL West, and the Rangers again. Yay!

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